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 Well after a 4 hour wait at the
Orlando train station I was finally on my way to Charleston to see Ralph Luther
and Ed Walker. Arrived sometime after 2300 and off for a drink of coffee and a
chat.
Next day Ralph and I went to the Hunley museum and had a squizz around. The tour
guide talked so fast I have no idea what he said, but the museum was
impressive. Just a shame the Hunley is secured by a frame to keep it at the
angle in which they found her. Photo of me in the Hunley mock up has me working
the propulsion system, 'too easy'.
Then off to meet Ed at the Yorktown and Clamagore museum park. I went from one
fast talker to one fast walker (no pun intended) as Ed Walker maintains a mean
pace as he showed us around. Very knowledgable man about not only the ships but
also the local area and history.
Later we had a meal and I believe Ralph actually included other diners to prove
everyone does eat at the same places I go to.
Click on photos for full-size view:
  
Ed Walker (from an email on 4/19/2004): Don, First, I really
appreciate what you have done in giving all of us "minor players" a chance to
travel along with Blue on his American adventure by your creating On Liberty in
the U.S.
Second, I want to let you know that Ralph Luther is one great submariner for
letting me hook up with Blue at Patriots Point to show him the USS Yorktown
CV-10 and the USS Clamagore SS-343. It was interesting to me that Blue spent
more time going through our "Vietnam River Base" than on SS-343. That he chose
to post the picture of him at the entrance underscores that fact.
For me the big thing was having Blue, Ralph and his wife over for dessert after
our meal at Vickery's on Shem Creek, Mount Pleasant. We wanted to show off
photos of our OZ family that live "up" in Perth. My son, who met his wife in
Perth while a Green Beret on detached service with the SAS, works right across
the place on the Swan River in Freemantle where our boats were based in WW II.
I got Blue to mark on my Perth city directory where he lived and worked after
his Oz Navy days. I hope to see him there on our next visit to Perth.
Ed Walker [Leg 16]
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Blue: Next stop after Houston was
Orlando after going to the long way via Chicago ( haven't you American's ever
heard of 'DIRECT FLIGHTS'? should try it sometime, it will be a BIG hit!)
I was delayed in Houston airport for 1 hour and 20 minutes or thereabouts and
that was coincidentally the time I had between my connecting flight to
Orlando...anyway, after a decent run through the airport ( could they be any
bigger?) I made it on time.
